Unimog Suitability for PNG

[Big Al]

Hi Guys
I am a newby here so excuse me if I say anything dumb
I am looking for advice on the suitability of using a Umimog in Papua New Guinea and if so how I would go about getting one that suits at a reasonable price

I am involved with a few of the locals in PNG that are using a few old Troopys to ferry people between 2 remote villages. The Troopys are old but there is really nothing you cant fix on them, which is advantage.
The prob is that they are really costing them a fortune to maintain and I think the that even though the troopys are good they are still being asked more of then they are capable to do on a regular basis.

There are several creek crossings that have to be negotiated and of which the worst is about a1-1.2 m deep, it does get deeper than that but they don't bother trying in those conditions.
I'll leave the explanation there as I think all will have the gist,
One last thing I would like to point out is that we are not really concerned about how the unit works as we are not enthusiast as such, wnd willing to trade looks for price, priority is that it does the job and will continue to do it if it is regularly serviced and mechanically maintained

Appreciate any advice and anything else I should know

Have a few questions as follows
Would a Unimog be a good choice to do this job?
Would Frontline Auctions be a good place to source one, if not where?
Are the Unimogs easy and affordable to service?
Where would be the best place to buy regular service item ie filters etc and what would I expect to pay
Considering the work it is doing, how often would it need to be serviced are there any guidelines available I should follow
How much can I expect to pay for one at auction that could do the job
Is there any one or company that I can call on to give me an opinion on vehicles to be auctioned ( all care but no responsibility of coarse)

Anyway there is a good start, like I said appreciate any pointers I am given

All the best

   

[303Gunner]

A Unimog would be marginally better for deeper creek crossings and a heavier vehicle is less likely to be swept away by the flow, however, if you are finding that maintenance costs on a Toyota are excessive, you will be crippled by the Mog's upkeep. While essentials like Fuel, Air and Oil filters are available as generic parts from a variety of sources, anything else (clutch, brake, electrical, etc) will be only from Mercedes, there is very little aftermarket support. EVERY service item will be more expensive than a Toyota, and service intervals will be similar. Are the people who are servicing your Toyotas now familiar with the much more complex mechanicals of a Unimog, or will you be reliant on paying for specialist servicing in Moresby?

One company that could assist in assessing and preparing a vehicle would be Unidan (https://www.unidan.com.au/), but for the price of one reliable Unimog, you could easily buy 4 or 5 2nd hand 75 Series Troopies, and just keep on using them until they wear out.

[Aussie Jeepster]

I would be extremely worried about the running costs of an ex-army Mog.
The current army service interval on Mogs is 1000km's and it is mainly due to worn out parts and lack of parts.
Whilst current auction offerings might look good, and have probably been tarted up to look even better, I would be very worried about pouring money down a very deep hole, particularly considering your isolation from the mainstream servicing organisations.
If Troopies cost a lot to run, then I'd suggest Mogs would cost way more.
Happy to be proven wrong buy those who are more informed.